These Rules are a legally binding agreement by and between each Student Team and his/her parent or legal guardian and the Sponsor. The Rules govern each Student team’s participation in the Challenge. No Student Team may enter the Challenge, nor be eligible to win any prize described in these Rules (“Prize”), unless the Student Team member has registered through their parent or legal guardian and his/her parent or legal guardian agree to these. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in Student Team’s disqualification from the Challenge.

IF YOU ARE A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN AGREEING TO THESE RULES FOR THE BENEFIT OF A STUDENT TEAM YOU ARE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS/HER ENTRY IN THE CHALLENGE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY LEGAL LIABILITY THAT HE/SHE MAY INCUR.

The purpose of these Rules is to fully state the binding requirements for competing in the Challenge. Except as expressly set forth in herein, these Rules do not extend beyond activities related to the Challenge. These Rules may be revised at the sole discretion of the Sponsor, effective upon written notice to the Student team and his/her parent or legal guardian. By participating in this Challenge, each Student Team and his/her parent or legal guardian is bound by the interpretations of these Rules by the Sponsor, which are rendered final unless the Sponsor, in their sole discretion, agrees to change them. Decisions of Sponsor shall be final in all aspects related to the Challenge.

All Student Teams and their parent or legal guardian must adhere to all local, regional, and national laws, orders, directives, ordinances, treaties, rules, and regulations for all aspects of the Challenge. Student Teams shall be solely responsible for acquiring the appropriate licenses, waivers, or permits from the applicable regulatory bodies or other applicable third parties. Student Teams must abide by relevant age restrictions for all software and hardware components used in the process of competing in the Challenge. The Sponsor shall in no way be responsible for providing to Student Teams any advice or counsel, legal or otherwise, with regard thereto.

The Challenge is only open to all middle school students currently enrolled in a public, private, parochial, or home school located in Los Angeles County for the 2025-2026 school year. Employees, consultants, and contractors of Columbia Memorial Space Center, Lollipop Labs, and City of STEM, and each of their respective parent, subsidiary, and affiliated companies and their immediate families (i.e., parents, spouse, children, siblings, grandparents, step parents, step children, and step siblings) are ineligible.

Members of the Student Teams must be currently enrolled in middle school and must be at least eleven (11) years of age and no more than fourteen (14) years of age, as of the date of Student Team's registration in the Challenge in order to participate in the Challenge. There is a limit of one (1) submission per Student Team. There will be one (1) Grand Prize Winner, provided that Sponsor receives a sufficient number of qualified Challenge Submissions. Submissions of any prior competitions will be considered and allowed.

The official language of the Challenge is English. All communications and all Challenge Submissions shall be in English unless the Student Team has received prior written permission from the Sponsor to use another language. If necessary, Student Teams must provide translation into English of Challenge Submission content. Only Video Submissions through the Challenge Website will be accepted.

The Challenge commences on or about 9:00 am PT on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 and ends at 4:00pm PT on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Open to students between the ages of 11–14, in grades 6–8, who are legal residents of, and currently residing in, Los Angeles County. Limit 1 entry per team. Grand Prize winners must be available to travel around Los Angeles for a day, no later than July 31, 2026 (“Challenge Period”). The sole determinant of time for the purposes of receipt of a valid entry in the Challenge will be the Sponsor clock. All determinations by Sponsor regarding time are final. Timeline

• February 11: Student Team Registration Opens

• March 25: Video Submissions Close

• March 26–28: First Round Judging

• March 31: Semi-Final Teams Announced

• April 26: Final Judging and Crowd Voting at City of STEM + LA Maker Faire Festival

Starting February 11, 2026 at 9:00 AM PT, Student Teams will be able to register and submit their entry for the Challenge online at the Challenge Website through a parent or legal guardian “(Adult Representative”) at least 18 years old. The Adult Representative must assist with Challenge submissions and follow the on-screen directions to complete online registration in accordance with the directions in the Registration form ("Registration Page"). The Adult Representative must provide the Adult Representative’s first and last name as well as email address; a self-generated username and password for the Student Team; the Student Team’s first name as well as age; and must agree to the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Official Rules, by selecting “SUBMIT.” Registration confirmation will be sent via email to the address provided by the Adult Representative. In the event of a dispute regarding who submitted a Challenge Submission, the Challenge Submission will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the Account from which the Entry was submitted. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned the e-mail address used to register for the Challenge, by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the registered e-mail address. Verification. Once the Adult Representative submits the Registration Page, an Adult Representative verification page will appear ("Verification Page") wherein the Adult Representative must complete the information requested prior to the close of

registration and end of submissions on March 25, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT. The Adult Representative must verify themselves by providing the Adult Representative’s first and last name, email address, phone number, Student Team name, school name, and team member’s first name. Challenge Submissions will not be accepted until satisfactory Adult Representative registration and verification is provided and deemed approved, as determined at the Sponsor's sole discretion.

Each Student Team will submit a Video Submission. There is a limit of one (1) submission per Student Team. If the invention or innovation already exists, Student Teams should explain what makes theirs different and why it is important. Video Submissions must be no more than two (2) minutes in length and must include a description.

All Challenge Submissions must be under no restriction, contractual or otherwise, that will prevent Sponsor's use of the Submission and must be free of any and all liens, encumbrances, and claims of third parties.

To upload the Challenge Submission, Student Teams are required to register through their Adult Representative to participate in the Challenge. After registering, the Adult Representative can submit the Student Team’s Video submissions. Videos that include students’ first and last names, physical addresses, school names, or any other identifying information will be immediately disqualified from further consideration.

• The video and the "script" (wording and presentation) must be original.

• If the video is taken by a third party, you must have secured all rights and clearances to the video from the third party.

• The video cannot contain any music or any identifiable background images (posters, logo shirts, objects with brand names, identifiable brand products, etc.).

• Materials, products, and other objects used in the video should have their brand names obscured.

• The video cannot contain materials displaying copyrighted images, names, likenesses, photographs, or anything else that identifies any person, living or dead, without permission.

• The video cannot defame, misrepresent, or contain disparaging remarks about people or companies.

• The video cannot be obscene or offensive, endorse any form of hate or hate group, or be derogatory to any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional, or age group.

• The video cannot communicate messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill with which City of STEM wishes to associate.

• The video cannot depict illegal activity and cannot itself be in violation of any law.

• The video may not include images of a known celebrity, famous or well-known person, or any image that violates the right of privacy or publicity of any person.

• The video cannot be more than two (2) minutes in length.

Each Challenge Submission will be judged upon the criteria set forth below by judges (“Judges”) selected and appointed by Sponsor as set forth below. All decisions made by the Judges shall be final and binding upon both Student Teams and Sponsor.

For judging, Challenge Submissions will be scored based on the following weighted (“Judging Criteria”):

• Creativity (ingenuity and innovative thinking) (30%)

• Potential Impact (30%)

• STEAM Knowledge (20%)

• Feasibility (20%)

Preliminary Judging ends Saturday, March 28, 2026. First round Judges will assign a score to each Challenge Submission pursuant to the Judging Criteria. The Challenge Submissions with the six (6) highest scores will be contacted and checked for semi-finalist eligibility. If there is a tie between two (2) or more Student Teams, then the Student Team with the highest score for “originality and creative expression of idea” will prevail, with any remaining ties resolved at the sole and absolute discretion of the Sponsor. All calculations, formulae, algorithms, and other methods of score tabulation and evaluation shall be at the sole and exclusive discretion of the Judges and Sponsor and shall not be subject to challenge or appeal.

The Adult Representatives of the Student Teams whose Challenge Submission has the highest score will be contacted using the contact information provided at registration to verify identity and eligibility as well as confirm Student Team’s participation in the Grand Prize (“Prizes”) (see below for more information). The Adult Representative(s) will also be required to sign an Affidavit acknowledging and accepting the requirements set forth therein. Only after this process is completed will the Student Teams be deemed Grand Prize Winners and Runner-Ups. If a Student Team is found to be ineligible or not in compliance with these Rules, or if Prize notification or any Prize is returned as undeliverable, the potential Winner will be disqualified and all privileges otherwise due as a Prize Winner shall be terminated.

Winners will be announced via the Challenge Website, and Challenge Entities’ social media platforms. All Winners must commit to participating in the Program, which includes participating in the prize tour of Los Angeles sometime before July 31, 2026. Winners will be showcased on the Challenge

Website on or around Monday, May 04, 2025. Winners’ first names, the first letter of their last name, and their city of residence may be listed on the website; no other personally identifying information will be listed. Information about the Winners’ Challenge Submission type and school name will also be listed.

Provided that the Sponsor receives a sufficient number of qualified Challenge Submissions, one (1) Grand Prize Winner will be awarded. Such Prizes will include the following:

1. The Grand Prize is a VIP trip around the Los Angeles area to visit innovative companies and experience cutting-edge technologies making an impact.

2. STEM Kit

3. Grand Prize winning school will receive $500 towards science supplies.

4. And other incredible prizes!

Limit one prize per Winner. All Prizes are non-transferable, non-exchangeable, and non-refundable, have no cash value, must be accepted by Winner as awarded, and may not be separated. If Winner declines a Prize or is unavailable for Prize fulfillment, an alternate Winner will be selected from remaining Finalists. All Prizes will be awarded provided that a sufficient number of entries are received and the Prize is validly claimed by no later than 4:59 PM PT on April 26, 2026. Winners’ names will be featured on the Challenge Website, and may be included on the Sponsor’s websites and/or in local and national media outreach. Prizes may be terminated or extended at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. All Prizes will be awarded in the name of a Student Team to his/her Adult Representative who will be responsible for fulfilling all requirements imposed on Winners set forth herein.

WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, SUCH PRIZES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND CHALLENGE ENTITIES HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL SUCH WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

In the event the Winner engages in behavior that, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, is obnoxious or threatening, illegal or that is intended to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other person, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate the Student Team’s participation in the Program with no further compensation. Prize restrictions/conditions stated herein are not all-inclusive and the Prize described above may be subject to additional restrictions/conditions. The Prize will be awarded provided it is validly claimed no later than 4:59 PM PT on April 26, 2026, after which no alternate winner will be selected, nor unclaimed prize awarded.

The Prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion or offer. Prize elements may not be separated. In the event any portion of the Prize cannot be awarded as stated, that portion of the Prize will go unawarded.

The Sponsor shall have no responsibility or obligation to the Winners or potential Winners who are unable to accept or utilize the prizes as described herein.

By entering the Challenge, Student Team and their Adult Representative irrevocably agree to allow the Challenge Entities to reference their names, all Challenge Submissions, and other materials submitted as part of the Challenge or via the Challenge Website and to use Student Team’s name, image, likeness, and recordings associated with the Challenge in all media anywhere throughout the world in perpetuity, without additional permission or compensation unless prohibited by law.

Each Student Team, by entering the Challenge, agrees, to irrevocably assign to Sponsor all worldwide rights, titles and interests to Student Team’s Challenge Submission(s) including intellectual property rights and moral rights, including by way of example but not limitation, all copyright rights and trademark rights, on an exclusive basis, such exclusive basis to also exclude Student Team and his/her parent or legal guardian from exercising any rights or interest over the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding the above or any other provision herein: (i) inventorship of any patentable discovery or invention conceived and/or reduced to practice in connection with the creation of a Challenge Submission (“Invention”) shall be determined by U.S. patent law; (ii) ownership of any Invention shall be determined by inventorship; and (iii) Student Team and/or his/her Adult Representative will retain all rights he/she/they may have in or to any such Invention as an inventor.

By submitting to the Challenge, each Student Team warrants and represents that the Challenge Submission: (i) is the Student Team’s original work; (ii) does not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity, or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity; (iii) that Student Team has obtained permission from any person whose name, likeness, or voice is used in any Challenge Submission; (iv) that publication of the Challenge Submission via various media, including Web posting, will not infringe on the rights of any third party rights; and (v) that all rights, licenses and permissions have been obtained in writing from any person who may have helped with or participated in the creation of the Challenge Submission (or from parent or legal guardian of such person, if the person is considered under the age of majority in his/her country of residence). Each Student Team will indemnify and hold harmless Challenge Entities and each of their officers, directors, and employees from any claims to the contrary. Each Student Team whose work includes likenesses of third parties or contains elements not owned by any Student Team (such as, but not limited to, depictions of persons, buildings, trademarks, or logos) must be able to provide legal releases for such use including the Sponsor’ use of such materials, in a form satisfactory to the Sponsor, upon request, prior to award of Prize, and/or naming of Student Team as a Winner.

By submitting to the Challenge, each Student Team agrees that such Submission are gratuitous and made without restriction, and will not place Sponsor under any obligation, and that Sponsor is free to disclose or otherwise disclose the ideas contained in the Challenge Submission on a non-confidential basis to anyone or otherwise use the ideas without any additional compensation. Each Student team acknowledges that, by acceptance of such submission, Sponsor does not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas previously known to said entity, or developed by its employees or obtained from sources other than Student team.

The Sponsor reserves the right, at their sole discretion, to disqualify Student Teams who violate any of the Rules or who may make any misrepresentations relative to this Challenge. They also reserve the rights to cancel, modify or terminate the Challenge.

By participating in this Challenge, Student Teams agree to release, discharge and hold harmless the Challenge Entities, their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, agents and their employees, officers, directors and representatives (collectively the “Released Parties”) from any liability, claims, losses and damages arising out of or relating to Student Team’s (or his/her Adult Representative’s):

(i) participation in this Challenge or any Challenge-related activities; or (ii) use, misuse, or claiming of any Prize in connection with this Challenge.

The Sponsor may, at their sole discretion, elect to waive or relax specific requirements if the basic objectives of the Challenge are found to have been satisfied.

As the Adult Representative of Student Team, you agree to indemnify the Released Parties for and against: (i) any claims made by you or your family against the Sponsor in connection with the Challenge or the Prizes awarded herein; and (ii) any losses (including any liability) caused by you and/or Student Team’s conduct.

The Challenge is governed by United States law and is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Except where prohibited by law, any and all legal actions or claims arising in connection with this Challenge must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the County of Los Angeles, in the State of California, USA.

ANY VIOLATION OF THESE RULES OR BEHAVIOR BY A STUDENT TEAM OR WINNER THAT WILL BRING SUCH STUDENT TEAM, OR WINNER INTO A DISPUTE (IN THE SPONSOR’S SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN THEIR DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE CHALLENGE OR AS A PRIZE WINNER AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS A PRIZE WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED. INCOMPLETE, UNREADABLE, OR UNINTELLIGIBLE SUBMISSIONS (INCLUDING ENTRY INFORMATION AND/OR PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN CONSENT) WILL BE DISQUALIFIED AND NOT CONSIDERED. ENTRIES WILL NOT BE RETURNED.

The Sponsor assumes no responsibility for incorrect or inaccurate information regarding the Challenge or Registration, or any late, lost or misdirected entries, whether caused by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Challenge or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the registration in this Challenge.

ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CHALLENGE IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE CHALLENGE ENTITIES RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. THE CALIFORNIA COURTS (STATE AND FEDERAL) SHALL HAVE SOLE JURISDICTION OF ANY CONTROVERSIES REGARDING THE CHALLENGE AND THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SHALL GOVERN THE CHALLENGE WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES. EACH STUDENT TEAM AND HIS/HER PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS WAIVE ANY AND ALL OBJECTIONS TO JURISDICTION AND VENUE IN THESE COURTS AND HEREBY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS.

All disputes arising out of, related to, or in connection with this Challenge (excluding any disputes arising out of, related to, or in connection with use or enjoyment of any elements of the Prize by Winners) will be resolved individually, without resort to class action, and finally settled under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce by three (3) arbitrators appointed as follows: each party shall select an arbitrator, and such arbitrators will select a third; provided, however, that in all events at least two (2) out of the three (3) arbitrators must be active members of the bar of a U.S. State. The arbitration will be conducted in English in Los Angeles, California. If any provision(s) of these Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect.

Information provided by Student Team for this Challenge during Registration, including the Challenge Submission, is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy located at (www.cityofstem.org/innovation-challenge-privacy policy). By entering this Challenge, each Student Team agrees that the Sponsor has the right to contact the Student Team by the contact information provided during registration to administer and fulfill this Challenge.

City of STEM

COLUMBIA MEMORIAL SPACE CENTER
12400 Columbia Way
Downey, CA 90242
(562) 231-1200

info@downeyspacecenter.org